A Day Young Japanese Become Adults

Jan 09 2016

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New adults get dressed in kimono for Coming of Age Day Ceremony

Every culture has a certain age when a person is legally considered an adult. In Japan, the adolescents who turned 20 are encouraged to join society as responsible adults, and they celebrate this by attending a Seijin-Shiki: Coming of Age Day Ceremony.

In Tokyo, the Ceremony is often held on the second Monday of January (on the 11th this year) while some regions have ceremonies prior to the day.

The ceremonies of Seijin-Shiki are organised by local municipalities around Japan, so it is also the time for new adults to come home and celebrate the day with hometown friends, or receive congratulatory messages from hometown celebrities.

Some towns have tried to make their ceremonies relevant to the youth of today. Urayasu City in Chiba, for example, has theirs at Tokyo Disneyland where characters will join the cerebration.

The new adults get dressed "properly" for the ceremonies. While the majority of men wear suits and ties, a lot of women choose traditional kimono.

If you have visited Japan around this time of the year and noticed many young people dressed in kimono, it must've been the day of the Seijin-Shiki.

We are having a mild winter this year in Tokyo. A few years back when the city was hit by heavy snow on the day of the Seijin-Shiki, I saw new adults in gorgeous but uncomfortable kimono struggling to walk to the ceremony hall...
Let's wish youngsters will embark on a new chapter in their lives on a clear day this year!

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SHACHO(CEO)

Acquainted with high-end spots and products in Tokyo as he welcomes foreign guests all the time. Once he starts talking about traditional festivals, manners and urban legends, no one can stop!